By Srian Obeyesekere

Opening batsman Lasith Croospulle struck it big with an absorbing 155 innings and Sri Lanka cap Kamindu Mendis as thick a hundred of 134 as CCC ran up 382 for 3 wickets against Colts CC with the second wicket pair posting 267 on the opening day of their Sri Lanka Cricket Major League 3-day Tournament match yesterday at the P. Saravanamuththu International Cricket Stadium.
Croospulle’s belligerent 174-ball innings contained 21 boundaries and a six while Mendis’ 10 boundary and 3 sixes strike was a timely concentrated muscling up to regaining the form that thrust him into the CC international arena with a bang that had eroded him in big show events of late as Sri Lanka builds up for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Meanwhile, young new find Pavan Ratnayake as well as experienced campaigner national test captain Dhananjaya de Silva, both world cup trialists, displayed sound form with unbeaten knocks of 48 and 44 respectively.
Colts Akila Dananjaya claimed two of the three wickets to fall on a grinding day on the field.

Chief scores:

CCC 382 for 3 (82) at stumps Lasith Croospulle 155, Kamidnu Mendis 134, Pavan Ratnayake 48n.o., Dhananjaya de Silva 44n.o; Akila Dhananjaya 2/62.